A TRUCK driver who has trouble reading and writing has been fined $3000 after pleading guilty to 20 driving offences.
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Darren Gore, 53, of Glennon Drive, Warrnambool, appeared in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court on the driving charges which mainly involved false entries in his work diary, exceeding work hours and failing to record rest periods.
Defence counsel Tony Robinson said his client was an outstanding truck driver with a clean record, he has now received a medical exemption for his work requirements and there had been no further breaches.
Gore's wife now fills out his paperwork.
Mr Robinson said some of the entries which had got Gore in trouble had been caused by rounding down times instead of up, leading to fairly minor breaches.
Magistrate Michael Coghlan said some of the breaches were classed as critical and Gore had placed other road users at risk.
"It's not just slack paperwork," he said.
The offences related to a period between November last year and the end of January this year.
Gore was fined $3000 with $119 costs and the magistrate said some of the offences involved maximum penalties for a single charge of $15,000.